Bonuses On The Street

Despite the subprime mess and exit door shown to many CEOs, Goldman Sachs still did very well. Bear Stearns top management decided not to take any bonus this year, and will try instead to pay some decent bonus to keep performing staff from leaving - at least they are doing something right. Below are the projected year end bonuses payable within the first week of January 2008 as reported in WSJ. How was your bonus? (amounts in USD)

Lehman Brothers

• 2007: $334,245

• 2006: $332,246

Goldman Sachs

• 2007: $662,000

• 2006: $621,793

WHERE THE MONEY IS

• Projected 2007 bonuses for top-tier global investment banks, on average:

HOT

• Managing director, distressed investing -- Base: $200,000; bonus, $1.7 million to $2.2 million (up 10-15%)

• Vice president, interest-rates trading -- Base: $100,000; bonus, $500,000 to $600,000 (up to 5-10%)

• Managing director, crude-oil trader -- Base: $200,000; bonus, $5 million to $7 million (up 15-20%)

• Managing director, equity capital markets, Brazil -- Base: $200,000; bonus, $1.2 million to $1.7 million (up 20-25%)

NOT

• Managing director, mortgage-backed securities sales -- Base: $200,000; bonus, $1 million (down 33% to 67%)

• Vice president, collateralized-debt-obligation sales -- Base: $200,000; bonus, $300,000 (down 50%)

• Director, asset-backed securities trading -- Base: $150,000; bonus, $400,000 to $500,000 (down 30%)

Source: Options Group